Kodak sues over patent infringement

Well,
at least allegedly... Kodak are suing Agfa, Sanyo and Seiko Epson over
infringement of patents it owns for image compression and digital storage,
removable software-enhanced storage devices, and inventions in an apparatus
for minimizing "red-eye''. The company said it is seeking an unspecified
amount in compensatory damages.

Kodak sues rivals for copyright infringement

NEW YORK, March 1 (Reuters) - Photography giant Eastman Kodak Co.(NYSE:EK
- news) has sued three of its rivals, charging them with infringing upon
Kodak patents in areas ranging from digital imaging to combating the "red-eye''
effect in pictures.

In a federal compliant filed on February 23 in Rochester, N.Y., Kodak
brought suit against Belgium's Agfa-Gevaert NV, , Japan's Sanyo Electric
Co. and Seiko Epson Corp., and and their U.S. units.

In the suit, Kodak alleges infringement of patents it owns for image
compression and digital storage, removable software-enhanced storage devices,
and inventions in an apparatus for minimizing "red-eye,'' which occurs
when a subject's eyes appear discolored after a flash is used.

The company said it is seeking an unspecified amount in compensatory
damages.

Kodak has been struggling to redefine itself in a digital age with major
investments in digital and online photography.

The Rochester, N.Y.-based company has said it hopes to expand its digital
and online business to about 45 percent of its planned $24 billion revenues
by 2005.

Agfa rejects Kodak patent infringement complaint

An Agfa spokeswoman said the company was not responsible for the technology
used by "several'' manufacturers that made its cameras under contract.

Spokeswoman Rene Willems declined to identify the manufacturers.

Kodak on Thursday said it had sued three of its rivals, including Agfa-Gevaert,
for patent infringement in a suit filed in U.S. federal court in Rochester,
N.Y.

Willems said Agfa was surprised by the lawsuit because it had been in
talks with Kodak throughout last year about using the technology.

"We are astounded,'' said Willems. "Throughout all of 2000 there have
been talks between Kodak's lawyers and ours.''

Agfa was considering its options as it waited for official notice of
the lawsuit, she said.

Willems also was not immediately able to identify the digital camera
models in question.

By around 1040 GMT, Agfa's stock was off 0.4 percent at 23.45 euros on
Euronext Brussels.

Kodak also named Sanyo Electric and Seiko Epson of Japan in the lawsuit.

It alleges that Agfa, Sanyo and Seiko infringed on patents in areas such
as image compression and digital storage, as well as the reduction of
the "red-eye'' effect, which occurs when a person's eyes appear discoloured
in a photograph taken with a flash.

Kodak, which is struggling to redefine itself in a digital age with major
investments in digital and online photography, is seeking an unspecified
amount of money in compensatory damages.